Snow-shovel.



C. J. VOLKSTADT.

SNOW SHOVEL.

APPLICATION FILED Dec. 18,1915.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

R n T N E v N wg Qwg/omby ATTURNEYE.

CHARLES J. VOLKSTAID'I, OF NORTH TONAIVANDA, NEW YORK.

SNOW-SHOVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed December 18, 1915. Serial No. 67,561.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. VOLK- STADT, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Snow-Shovels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of snow shovels having a curved or scoop-like blade of sheet metal stiffened by diagonal or upwardly-converging braces secured to its rear side. Such braces are usually provided at their upper ends with parallel portions or extensions between which the handle is secured.

It has been found in practice that the braces are liable to break at their junction with their parallel extensions, and it is one of the objects of my invention to improve the construction of the shovel with a view of strengthening the-braces, so as to withstand the strains to which they are subjected and prevent their breakage at those points.

A further object is to so combine the braces with the handle that the load or strain is exerted principally against the braces, in order to relieve the sheet-metal blade and avoid stripping it from the braces.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shovel with the handle partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is an enlarged vertical section on line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate c rresponding parts throughout the several views.

1 indicates the curved sheet-metal blade of the shovel which may be stamped with the customary stiffening ribs or corrugations 2. At its lower edge the blade has the usual tip or horizontal strip 3, fastened to it by rivets 4 Or other suitable means.

5 indicates the braces which are applied to the rear side of the blade and which preferably consist of T-irons. They converge upwardly from the lower edge of the blade nearly to its top and are provided at their upper end with substantially parallel upright extensions 6 which terminate at or near the upper edge of the blade. The base flanges of these T-iron braces rest against the back of the blade to which they are secured by rivets 7 or other suitable fastenings. In the preferred construction shown in the drawings, the webs 8'01 the braces terminate near their lower ends and said ends are rigidly secured between the blade and its tip 3 by a pair of the rivets i. As the webs of the T-iron braces stand at right angles to the plane of the blade, they effectually stiifen and reinforce it, enabling the blade and the braces to withstand the strains exerted upon them in shoveling, particularly at the junction of the diagonal and straight portions of the braces, the wide or double base-flanges of the T-irons contributing toward this desirable result.

The parallel upper portions of the braces are spaced to snugly admit the lower portion of the handle 10 between their web-portions 8, and allow the flat front side of the handle to bear a ainst the inner flanges of the T- irons, as best shown in Fig. 3. The handle may be secured in place by any suitable means. The preferred devices shown in the drawings consist of a pair of spaced staples or U-shaped bolts 11 which embrace the back and sides of the handle and the webs of the braces and pass forwardly through openings in the outer flanges of the braces, the blade and yokes or washers 12 hearing against the face of the blade. these parts being tightly clamped together by the nuts 13 of the bolts which bear against said washers. By this construction, the blade is not only greatly stiffened by the T-braces,'but its separation from the braces by the stripping of the rivets 7 is prevented. inasmuch as the shoveling strain is exerted against the strong and stiff inner flanges of the braces, instead of directly against the relatively thin and weak blade, as heretofore. \Vhile affording these advanta es, the improvement does not materially increase the cost of the shovel.

I claim as my invention:

1. A shovel, comprising a blade, upwardly-converging T-iron braces secured to the back of the blade and having their baseflanges arranged against the blade, said braces having substantially parallel extensions at their upper ends, a handle arranged between said extensions and bearing against the inner base-flanges thereof, and means for securing the handle between said extensions.

2. A shovel. comprising a blade. upwardly-converging T-iron braces secured to the back of the blade and having their basesides of the handle and the Webs of said flanges arranged against the blade, said brace-extensions, said bolts passing through braces having substantially parallel extenthe outer base-flanges of the extensions and 10 si ns at their upper ends, a handle arranged the blade, and a Washer interposed between between the Webs of said extensions and the blade and the nuts of said bolt.

bearing against the inner base flanges thereof, a U-shaped bolt embracing the back and CHARLES J. VOLKSTADT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaoh. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, I). .0. i i 

